Braised Short Ribs

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These oven braised short ribs are an impressive one pot comfort food dinner that’s perfect for company or Sunday dinner! Tender, fall-off-the-bone beef in a savory, rich, and flavorful sauce. Serve on top of creamy mashed potatoes and enjoy this cozy meal!

Craving more comfort food? Try my chicken parmesan meatballs or green chile mac and cheese.

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Shredded braised short ribs on top of mashed potatoes.

Why you’ll love them

Great for company – Braised short ribs are great to make when you’re having company over or just want an impressive meal. It’s a hearty meal that is mostly hands off and can even be made a day ahead of time and reheated.

One pot dinner – This is a meal that’s made entirely in one pot. I recommend using a Dutch oven. My favorite brands are Le Creuset and Staub. If you aren’t using one of those brands just make sure it’s an oven safe, heavy bottomed pot or you’ll risk it burning in the oven.

Budget friendly – Compared to many cuts of beef, short ribs are more budget friendly.

Foolproof – Unlike a steak, short ribs benefit from a long cooking time. They get more tender the longer they cook. This means you don’t have to constantly be checking on them. Just set a timer for 3 hours and be amazed at how the tender meat falls right off the bone.

Ingredients for braised short ribs on a sheet pan.

The ingredients

  • Bone-in short ribs – Short ribs are a tough, fatty cut of beef that breaks down and becomes tender after a long period of low and slow cooking.
  • Onion, carrots, celery, garlic – The vegetables and aromatics that give the sauce lots of flavor.
  • Flour – gives the short ribs a nice crust when you sear them and helps thicken the sauce.
  • Apple cider – many recipes call for braising short ribs in red wine. Apple cider is a less expensive alternative that still provides great flavor. It’s also a nice option if you don’t do alcohol.
  • Beef broth – The main ingredient for the rich and savory broth.
  • Tomato paste – Give the braising liquid a deep rich flavor.
  • Fresh thyme, rosemary, bay leaf – Adding a few sprigs of thyme, rosemary, and a bay leaf is a great way to add an herby flavor to the broth.
Braised short ribs on top of mashed potatoes.

How to make braised short ribs

Pre-heat your oven to 325° F. Pat the short ribs dry then season them with salt and pepper. Rub the flour evenly onto all sides of the short ribs.

Heat a Dutch oven or large heavy bottomed pot (with a lid) over medium-high heat. When it’s hot add in the short ribs and brown them on all sides. You may need to do this in batches.

Place the browned short ribs on a plate. If needed, discard all but a tablespoon of the grease, and then add in the carrots, onions, and celery. Sauté until tender.

Stir in the garlic and tomato paste until incorporated. Pour in the apple cider and scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the short ribs back in.

Pour in the beef broth and drop in the sprigs of rosemary, thyme, and the bay leaf.

Bring the liquid to a boil then cover with the lid and bake in the oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the short ribs are tender and falling off the bone.

Braised short ribs in a dutch oven.

What to serve with short ribs

Can short ribs be made ahead of time?

This is a meal that you will need to plan ahead when making. It needs at least 3 hours to cook in the oven. The actual prep time is only about 20-30 minutes, but plan for the hands-off cooking time when making it.

Braised short ribs on top of mashed potatoes.

Storage and reheating

The short ribs will keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days in an airtight container. You can also freeze them. Let the cooked short ribs cool completely and then put them in a freezer safe container. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.

To reheat, let them defrost in the refrigerator overnight. You can then either microwave individual portions or in a saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat until warmed through.

More beef recipes

Fork picking up a bite of braised short ribs.
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Braised Short Ribs

Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 3 hours
Total: 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
These oven braised short ribs are an impressive one pot comfort food dinner that's perfect for company or Sunday dinner!
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Ingredients 

  • 5 pounds bone-in English cut short ribs
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 4 carrots chopped
  • 4 stalks of celery chopped
  • 3 cloves of garlic smashed
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 1/2 cups apple cider
  • 2 1/2 cups low sodium beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 bay leaf

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 325° F. Pat the short ribs dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper, then rub them with the flour to coat. 
  • Heat a large Dutch oven (with a lid) over medium-high heat. Sear the short ribs on all sides and then remove them onto a plate. If needed do this in batches. 
  • Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the grease from the pot then add in the onion, celery, and carrots. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until tender, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste until incorporated and cook for another minute. 
  • Pour in the apple cider and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the short ribs back into the pot then pour in the beef broth and drop in the sprigs of thyme, rosemary, and the bay leaf. Bring the liquid to a boil and then cover with a lid and put it in the oven.
  • Bake the short ribs in the oven for 2 1/2 – 3 hours or until they’re tender and falling off the bone. Remove the stems from the fresh herbs and the bay leaf. Spoon off any excess grease (you won’t be able to get it all). Serve the short ribs whole or shredded on top of mashed potatoes, pasta, or any of the suggestions listed in the blog post.

Nutrition

Calories: 700kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 59gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 162mgSodium: 308mgFiber: 2gSugar: 9g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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